Bedthold grtjeer



as an anion.

REINHQLD GR'UTER, OF CHABLOTTENIBURG, GERMANY.

VARNISH, LACQUER, on THE LIKE AND rnoonss or MAKING SAME.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

most exclusively used as the solvent. The varnishes prepared therefrom possess various disadvantages, which have created a desire for other solvents.

It has been found that excellent nitrocellulos'eor celluloid-containing varnishes, lacquers, or the like can be obtained with the aid of esters of lactic acid in conjunction with hydrocarbons, and especially aromatic hydrocarbons. These varnishes or the like obtained with the use of hydrocarbons show specially favorable properties. For exam ple, varnishes made from lactic acid ester and alcohol give a rough, irregular or nonuniform coating, this is not the case with the varnishes obtained with hydrocarbons and lactic acid esters; with these, smooth and uniform coatings are obtained. This advantage is particularly found in the case of arcmatic hydrocarbons, but it also applies partially with the nonearomatic hydrocarbons,

, for example benzin. With the benzins, however, the solutions can not be diluted to so great an extent as with the aromatic hydrocarbons. It has further been found that a greater amount of the aromatic hydrocarbons can be added to the solution of nitrocellulose in lactic acid esters than when one starts with amyl acetate as solvent. The 40 following comparative experiments show this: If one dissolves fiveparts of nitrocellulose in 36 parts amyl acetate (parts in all cases means parts by weight) and thenadds 7 8 parts of xylene, stirring well of. course,

the nitrocellulose is partly precipitated again, and coatings made with such a solution are irregular or non-uniform. If the solution is allowed to stand it solidifies after some time to a thick, useless, gelatinous mass. This occurs after a few days, according to the temperature. If,on .the'v other hand, 5' parts of nitrocellulose are dissolved in 36 parts of lactic acid ester, for example ethyl lactate, and 78 arts of xylene are" added, one obtains a thin y fluid, mobile solution Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Alig. 22, 1918,

Application filed November 15, 1913. Serial No. 801,292.

which does not show a separation or gelatinization either at once or after a long period of keeping;

It has even been found that the quantity of the aromatic diluent can be further conslderably increased without the separation occurring which takes place with amyl acetate. For example, solutions have been made according to the followin proportions of mixture: 5 parts nitrocefiulose, 36 parts ethyl lactate, 96' parts xylene; also 5 parts nitrocellulose, 36 parts ethyl lactate, and 114 parts xylene. The quantity of xylene can even be still further considerablyincreased without a separation taking place in the varnish, lacquer or the like. Instead of the ethyl ester of lactic acid other esters of lactic acid can be employed, and instead of xylene the other aromatic hydrocarbons, as for example toluene and benzene can be emsuitable for this purpose, can of course be also used within the ambit of the present invention.

It has also been found that thelactic acid esters are excellent solvents for resins such as are used in the roduction of varnishes, lacquers and the li e and are suitable for this purpose. Thus, for example, colop hony, shellac, copals, and'similar resins dissolve readily, and one can thus in a similar way also prepare varnishes, lacquers, or the like containing besides the cellulose derivatives these resins or containing the latter alone. These substances may be generally referred to as substances suitable for varnish purposes.- 'n. v

The new process is therefore of particu- "715 ployed. Also, mixtures of the difierentlaclar value, because by its aid it is possible to produce the varnish, lacquer, or like so-:

lutions with great cheapness; for firstly the lactic acid esters are, themselves chea and,

secondly, considerable quantities o arematic hydrocarbons can be'used withthem, wherebythe cost is still further reduced."

The possibility of using such large quan-' bons do not need to be added in a pure state,-

solutions on the basis of the organic cellulose esters can also be produced even in' h1gh concentration, because the dissolving capacity of the lactic acid esters is also very great for the said cellulose esters. Likewise, as with celluloid, which, as is well known, is

' composed of nitrocellulose and camphor,

the celluloid-like masses from acidyl celluloses also dissolve in lactic acid esters; in this case also, considerable quantities of various resins, or-other substances, may be added, for example cam her or camphor substitutes, such as are suitailile for varnish purposes.

The solutions thus obtained may within a wide range have suitable diluents added to them. For many purposes it is preferable to use such diluents as do not mix with water, for example hydrocarbons, halogen carbon compounds, ethers, or mixtures of these bodies; also acetone and alcohols alone or mixed, for some purposes in admixture with the first mentioned diluents.

Examples: Solutions and varnishes, la'cquers or the like can be made by-bring ing together the following quantities: 1.

10 part by weight of acetyl cellulose, 50 parts .by volume of ethyl lactate, 30 partsby' volume of benzene. 2. 10 arts by weight of acetyl cellulose, 50 parts y volume of lactic acid ester, 30 parts by volume of tri'chlorethylene, 20. parts by volume of alcohol. 3.

10 parts by weight of acetyl cellulose, 50 parts by volume of lactic acid ester, 50 parts by volume of chloroform. 4. 10 parts b weight of acetyl cellulose, parts by vo ume of lacticacid ester, 20 parts b volume of absolute or commercial alcoho. 5. 10 parts by weight of acetyl cellulose, 4.0 parts by volume of lactic'acid ester, 20 parts by volume of acetone; If it is desired to add resins to these solutions, these resins can first be easily dissolved in lactic acid ester and the desired amount of this solution can be added to the cellulose ester solutions. Such resin solutions may be obtained b dissolving one part by weight of copal 0 sandarac orcolophony in two parts by weight. of lactic acid ester, which can readily be I done. Y Shellac also dissolves easily, but in this case it is of advantage to take somewhat more ester, for example, four parts of ester to one part'of shellac.

Of the organic cellulose esters the acetyl cellulose is at pfesent the most important; the cellulose esters of any other organic the like possessing advantageous proper-' ties 'n the respect above mentioned. These 7 acids may however equally well be taken,

for example those of formic acid, benzoic quers, varnishes or the like in the cold they can be obtained with application of heat.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A rocess for manufacturing solutions of varmshes or the like from-the esters of cellulose, which consists in dissolving the said esters in a mixture of a lactic acid ester and hydrocarbons, and in the absence of large quantities of alcohol.

2. A process for manufacturing solutions of varnish or the like from the esters of cellulose, which consists in dissolving 'said esters in a lactic acid ester, and diluting the said solution with hydrocarbons.

3. A process for the manufacturing of solutions of varnishes or the like from the esters of cellulose, which consists in dissolving said esters in a lactic acid ester.

4; A process for the manufacture of solutions of varnishes or the like from nitrocellulose in a mixture of lactic acid ester and h drocarbons.

5-. rocess for the manufacture of solutions 0 varnishes or the'like from nitrocellulose, which consists in dissolving the nitrocellulose in a lactic acid ester.

6. A solution of varnish or the like, comprising an ester of cellulose dissolved in a lactic acid ester and a hydrocarbon, and. free from large quantities-of alcohol.

7 A solution of varnish or the like, comprising an ester of cellulose dissolved in an ester of lactic acid and having a hydrocarbon diluent.

8. A solution of varnish or the like, comprisin nitrocellulose dissolved in an ester of lactic acid and a hydrocarbon.

9. A solution of varnish or the like, comprising nitrocellulose dissolved in a lactic quantities of alcohol.

10. A process for manufacturing solutions of varnishes-or the like from the esters of cellulose, which consists in dissolvin the 'said esters in a mixture of lactic acid ester and hydrocarbons, in the absence of large uantitiesof alcohol, and adding thereto su stances suitable for varnish purolstels, substantially as described and set 11 A process for manufacturing solutions of varnishes or the like from the esters of cellulose, which consists in dissolvingsaid esters in a lactic acid ester, and diluting the solution with substances suitable for varnish purposes, substantially as described and set forth. I

12. A process for the manufacture of solutions of varnishes or the like and nitrocellulose, which consists in dissolvin the said nitrocellulose in a mixture of lactic acid ester, and adding substances suitable for varnish purposes, substantially as described and set forth.

13. A solution of varnishes or the like, comprising an ester of cellulose dissolved in --a lactic acid ester and a hydrocarbon, and free from large quantities of alcohol, and

containing substances suitable for varnish purposes, substantially as described and set forth.

comprising nitrocellulose dissolved in an ester of lactic acid and a hydrocarbon, and containing substances suitable for varnish purposes, substantially as described and set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

REINHOLD GRUTER. Witnesses HENRY HASPER, WOLDEMAB HAUPT. 

